Muxes of Juchitan

According to myth, God entrusted San Vicente with a difficult task. On his back he carried a sack full of Muxes, and had to leave one in every town of the Zapotec kingdom. But when the Saint reached Juchitán he tripped, and all the Muxes he carried in his sack fell out. Since then, this town in the South-East of Mexico has experienced an unexpected – not only for Mexico but for the entire world – sexual liberation.

Homosexual men who wish to dress as women freely do so, and live a more or less similar life as their heterosexual fellow citizens. Not only do the Muxes not hide their difference on the streets of Juchitán, they actually project it in every way. Their fellow citizens simply go on their way, not impressed, provoked or angered by the sight of a man in women’s clothes, hairdos and make-up. The Muxes claim they belong to the community of the “intrepid”, of “those who do not fear death”, and celebrate their desire and joy to be women every year in a festivity attended by the whole community.

In Juchitán, the dream of tolerance and the acceptance of difference has been a reality for years. Without announcements and declarations, without social movements having to fight long and bloody social and political struggles, without conflict and quarrel…

A documentary on the joy of life and love which prevailed effortlessly because San Vicente tripped…